Wild, Wild West
by everfaraway
Summary: AU set in the old west. Some blood, language, probably not sex.
1. Chapter 1

Wild, Wild West

_**Authors note: Blame a lack of sleep, too much FF7 and just having watched BloodRayne 2: Deliverance. **_

_**Mirokou put the characters in their roles. We **__**only own Sara and the unnamed characters.**_

"Easy girl." a soft voice whispered. The dark red mare whinnied. "It's alright, I won't be long." the owner's voice said. She tossed her head as she was tethered to the post. "I'll come back soon I promise. Don't get into trouble." The mare snorted as if to say, I don't get into trouble.

Zack and Cloud looked up as the door to the Sheriff's office opened and a beautiful woman strolled in. She wore a dark brown duster, soft leather shirt, leather pants with black boots and had: long black hair, red eyes, slight tan and didn't look any older than 20. "It's Sara." Zacky said as she slid her black hat down over her shoulder.

"Hi Zack." she said, smiling at her childhood friend. The dark haired deputy hugged her. "How are your mom and baby brother Cloud?" she asked.

"Fine. Denzel started school not very long ago." he said shyly.

Sara looked at Zack and whispered, "Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's in the back. Might be asleep though." he told her.

"I'm used to his odd hours. I grew up on them." she reminded him, walking to the half-open door.

Sara smiled as she stepped into her father's office. He was dressed in his usual: black slacks, red button-down shirt and black jacket over it. Like her he wore a black hat low over his eyes and had a long piece of red clothe wrapped around his ponytail, unlike hers that was was held back by a red bow. Gently she knocked on the half open door and asked, "Are you alive in here?"

Vincent stirred slightly, pushing the brim of his hat up just enough so that she could see a slight red glow from under it and whispered, "I haven't died yet Sara. Nor do I plan to anytime soon."

She smiled, settled on his desk and said, "I'm teasing daddy. Beside you don't even look old enough to have a daughter anywhere near my age."

He smiled, touched her long ponytail gently and whispered, "Neither of us look as old as we are. You and I will be in town for a very long time my dear little daughter." She smiled and rested her cheek againest his hand.

"Where's Midnight? I didn't see him tetherd outside." she asked after a minute.

"At the blacksmith's. One of his shoes came off yesterday afternoon." he said.

"I need to take Rayne over to Barret to have her's checked. Will you ride with me?" Sara admited.

"If you want me to." he said.

"Please." she begged. He nodded and as a shout came from the main room. They both moved quickly, drawing their guns, unsure what to expect as they exited his office.

"Easy Sheriff. I'm not here to steal your deputy. At least not without your permis-sion." Angeal said, patting Zack's head.

"Zackery, I should shoot you." Sara muttered, sliding her gun back in it's holster.

"For what?" he pouted.

"I'm a bounty hunter boy remember. Any time I hear someone yell, it usually ain't for a good reason." she told him. He shot a quick look at Zephyr in it's holster and Cerberus still in Vincent's hand. Zephyr was a smaller, lighter version of Cerberus: silver, double barreled and capable of firing 16 bullets before she had to reload. Despite the differences, it was still just as dangerous and accurate as her father's black tri-barreled hell raiser.

"It's just Zackery being foolish. I see." Nanaki had his head stuck around the door, watching them. Angeal shook his head as the flame lion walked in. "Vincent, if you don't mind, I think I'll rest under your desk for a bit." he said.

"Go ahead." the sheriff said, motioning to his office.

"Miss Sara, it's nice to see you again." he added as he walked past her. She petted his mane brieflly.

Zack settled down as Sara reclined on his desk.

"Vincent do you mind if I borrow Zackery for a while? Things are slow at the hotel and everything's been mighty quiet lately in town." Angeal asked.

"You can borrow him for as long as you like. He's a thorn in my side when it's quiet." Vincent chuckled.

"I'll tell Sephiroth to come pick up Cloud too, if you can spare him of course." the baliff added. Cloud perked up and shot a pleading look at Vincent.

"Go ahead. Nanaki will be under my desk for a good while and Sara just got back in town." he explained. Angeal tipped his hat to Sara then turned to Cloud.

"Seph will be along to get you soon. Come on pup." he said.

True to his word, Sephiroth showed within the hour to get Cloud, leaving Vincent, Sara and Nanaki alone.

"When I was in Patience, there was a man who said he came from just past Mitchell in the bar I was staying above. Claimed the Devil's Own gang killed a couple of families who lived in homesteads near his." Sara whispered. Nanaki's ears perked and he shifted position under Vincent's desk.

"How many people?" her father asked.

"Four men, three women and six or seven children: all of them slaughtered like animals." she whispered.

"Poor souls." the flame lion breathed.

"About which way were they heading?"

"North or north east. He claimed to have caught a glimpse of the gang as they headed out. Said: one was a huge man, riding a beast that seemed more like a monster than a horse; heard another cackling like a devil; caught a glimpse of a shape that was obviously a woman that had very short spikey hair." she said.

"Azul, Rosso and possibly Hojo." Vincent muttered.

"Was he sure of the number?" Nanaki asked.

"Seven figures: two women and the rest male. Would have liked to ask him some questions but he disappeared later that night." she told them.


	2. Chapter 2

Leverage

_**Author: Only own nameless characters and Sara. Forgive any oddness**_

_**with the roles we've given the characters.**_

Nero lurked beside the dark house. He glanced up as several dark shapes approached. "In Darkness we dwell," a sinister voice hissed.

"In Darkness we conquer," he replied in a hushed tone. Hojo and Jenova emerged from the shadows followed by the rest of the gang. "Sephiroth's lover is a deputy sheriff. His room is just off the living area. Mother's room off the kitchen; little brother's next to his," Nero reported. Hojo smiled, baring his fangs.

"Get us in." The front door was opened silently and the intruders slipped into their target's bedroom, closing the door quietly behind them.

Cloud lay on his side fast asleep. He shifted and Hojo reached out and clamped a hand over the young man's mouth. The blonde was quickly bound and gagged. Hojo kept a hand on the boy's arm. Suddenly the door opened and a boy of about twelve walked in, rubbing his eyes. "Cloud? I had a bad dream, can I...?" The boy was cut off as a large burlap sack engulfed him.

Hojo smiled and said, "Let's get the mother just for good measure."

Nanaki stretched as a sleepy Sara stepped around him.

"Hey Vincent, Cloud's not here yet, heard anything?" Zack asked, sticking his head into Vincent's office.

The sheriff cocked an eyebrow and said, "No. And that's very odd for Cloud to not be here." Sara looked from her father to his deputy.

"Zack, take your horse and ride out to the Strife homestead. Make sure everything's alright and report back." Vincent said. The dark haired young man nodded, grabbed his hat and disappeared out the door.

"Sara do you remember Sephiroth?" he asked.

"Miss Cresent's oldest son and the judge. I've seen him several times." she said.

"I need you to go visit him, see if he knows where Cloud is. Also go by Tseng's to see if he knows anything." he told her. She nodded and got up to leave.

Sara blinked in the painfully bright sun and headed down the street to courthouse. Angeal greeted her as she walked inside.

"Morning gentlemen. Do you have a minute Judge?" she asked. Sephiroth gave her a curious look.

"This is Sara, she's the Sheriff's daughter." Angeal said.

"Oh of course, what can I do for you Ma'am?" he asked.

"Cloud hasn't shown up for work yet. I was wonderin' if you knew where he was." she said.

"I saw him home last night, said hello to his mother and younger brother then returned to my rooms in the boarding house." Sephiroth said. Sara sent a glance at Angeal who confirmed his story.

"Thank you gentlemen. Zack's riding out to their homestead." she said.

"Let us know if you hear anything." Sephiroth pleaded.

"Will do." she whispered.

Her second stop was the schoolhouse. Reeve pardoned her interruption and even allowed Marlene to get up and hug her when she walked in. But unfortunately the teacher didn't know anything, nor was Denzel in class. Scratching Cait Sith's head briefly, she stepped into the street again. As her stomach growled, Sara remembered that she hadn't eaten breakfast yet. "I doubt dad will mind if I stop in to get something to eat." she muttered, dodging into the general store. "Morning." she said, slidding her hat over her shoulder.

Tifa looked up and called, "When did you get back into town!"

"Yesterday, went straight to see my dad. I need a loaf of bread, a block of cheese and a half dozen apples." she said. Tifa disappeared for a moment and reappeared with the groceries.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Can I go ahead and buy some venision? Can you hold onto it, I'm going to send Nanaki over to get it in a little bit?" she asked.

"Sure."

"Sara, is that you?"

She looked over her shoulder and said, "Hi Aerith."

"How are you?" the other woman asked.

"I'm okay. Thanks Tifa." Sara smiled as she walked towards Aerith, slinging her bag of food over her shoulder as she did. "What's wrong? You look worried." she whispered, noting the look on the younger woman's face. "Cloud's one of your dad deputy's isn't he?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah." she said. "His mom has a corner in the store and does laundry in the back, but she hasn't come in today. I'm starting to get worried." she admited.

She sighed and whispered, "Cloud hasn't been in either and Denzel wasn't in school. I'm about to run to Doc Tseng's to see if he knows anything. Zack's riding out to their homestead. If we find out anything we'll make sure everybody knows but I'll have Nanaki tell you first."

"Thank you." Aerith whispered hugging her.

Slowly Sara entered Tseng's home. Many years ago, he had told her and her father that they were always welcome at anytime of day or night. "Tseng! It's Sara, Vincent's daughter. Hope I'm not intruding." she called.

"In the back." came a soft call. She picked her way through the house to a room full of windows where she found Tseng attending to a plant.

"How are you Sara?" he asked in his quiet voice.

"Fine, yourself?" she askd.

"In perfect health. This is where I grow the plants for my herbal remedies, includ-ing all of the garlic for you and your father." he told her. She touched the vial around her neck; Vincent wore one exactly like it.

"We do appreciate everything you've done for us." she whispered.

"So what brings you here if you and your father don't need anything?" he asked.

"I was wondering if you knew anything about the Strife family. Cloud hasn't shown up for work, neither has his mother and Denzel isn't in school." she said.

"I will look into it. Have your father come see me if you don't mind. I'd like to have a look at both of you." he told her as she walked away.

"Have Zack tell Angeal to come get some rosemary from me if his headaches continue." he called after her.

"I will, Tseng and thank you." she called back.

When she returned to the Sheriff's, Zack had already returned. He was sitting on his desk panting. "What happened?" she asked.

"They're gone... all.. three of them. Cloud's bed.. Denzel's bed... looked slept in. Mom's bed.. messed up.. like she put up a fight. Nothing... outta place." he gasped.

"Did you see any footprints, hoofprints?" Nanaki asked.

"No. I came back as soon as I saw the house empty." he admited.

"Sephiroth said he saw Cloud home last night. Said hello to his mom and Denzel, then went straight back to his rooms at the boarding house. Angeal confirmed it." Sara said.

"Neither man is a suspect. Zackery why don't you go check your horse, he sounds like he's still spooked. Nanaki go get word around town." Vincent said.

"When you go to the store, make sure Tifa gets you the venision." Sara added. They both disappeared out the door.

"Whole families being slaughtered, the Strife family being kidnapped." Vincent groaned.

"They can't be related can they? The massacre was four or five towns over, over 500 miles away and the man said they were heading north or north east." Sara said, biting into an apple.

"It's hard to say right now. But the Devil's Own are unpredictable, volatile and act with some sense of reason sporadicly." he told her. She lowered her eyes and touched the vial around her neck.

"Small wonder he disappeared." she muttered.

He nodded slowly and whispered, "Until we know otherwise, they are our best guess as to who kidnapped the Strife family."

"Tseng wants to see us." she said.

"No doubt to make sure we have our _**condition**_ under control." he chuckled.


End file.
